The expression of love and seduction in Plautus: conceptual metaphors in the realms of hunting and fishing

Abstract

This study analyses a series of contexts used by Plautus in his comedies on love and seduction that is shaped by vocabulary from the realms of hunting and fishing. The peculiarities of these examples find in the theories of cognitive linguistics and, specifically, in conceptual metaphor sufficient backing for them to be classified and systematised according to the postulates formulated by important researchers, including Lakoff and Johnson (2001). Thus, subordinate to the initial metaphor LOVE/SEDUCTION IS CAPTURE are other more specific metaphors that will measure its true reach. Given the structural features of Plautine comedy, I believe it is essential to establish the relationship between these metaphors and other elements pertaining to the specific theatrical dynamics of Plautus: the kind of character that uses them; the type of discourse in which they are inserted (monologue, dialogue, aside); and the moment of theatrical action in which they are framed. This procedure facilitates the correlation between linguistic and literary characteristics, as well as the function of these units within the particularities of Plautine comedies, thereby contributing to a better and broader understanding of their structure. The results of this study highlight the wealth of Plautine expression that, when analysed from the assumptions of conceptual metaphor, acquires a network of nuances that contribute to the portrayal of the characters, especially those moving in this amorous/sexual sphere (procuresses, courtesans, young and old libertines).